The leukotrienes constitute a group of locally acting hormones, produced in living systems from arachidonic acid. The major leukotrienes are Leukotriene B.sub.4 (abbreviated at LTB.sub.4), LTC.sub.4, LTD.sub.4, and LTE.sub.4. The biosynthesis of these leukotrienes begins with the action of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase on arachidonic acid to produce the epoxide known as Leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4), which is converted to the other leukotrienes by subsequent enzymatic steps. Further details of the biosynthesis as well as the metabolism of the leukotrienes are to be found in the book Leukotrienes and Lipoxygenases, ed. J. Rokach, Elsevier, Amsterdam (1989). The actions of the leukotrienes in living systems and their contribution to various diseases states are also discussed in the book by Rokach.
European patent applications 318,093 (May 31, 1989), 349,062 (Jan. 3, 1990), and 399,818 (Nov. 28, 1990), disclose structures of leukotriene antagonists and inhibitors of leukotriene biosynthesis which differ from the present compounds in not having chromans, tetralins, or indanes present in them. European patent applications 313,295 (Apr. 26, 1989), 313,296 (Apr. 26, 1989), 391,624 (Oct. 10, 1990), and 391,625 (Oct. 10, 1990) describe quinoline-containing leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors and/or antagonists which differ from the present compound most notably in that the chroman, thiochroman, tetraline, or indane moiety contains only one acidic side chain and a secondary alcohol. The structures of the compounds disclosed in the above patent applications are shown below. ##STR2##